A three-dimensional oval shape, like a stretched or flattened sphere, where the sum of distances from any point on the surface to two fixed points is constant.
From 'ellipse' plus '-oid' (from Greek 'eidos,' form or shape). Coined in the 18th century as mathematicians extended ellipse concepts into three dimensions.
The Earth isn't a perfect sphere—it's actually an ellipsoid, slightly flattened at the poles because it's spinning, and this tiny difference matters hugely for GPS satellites and mapmakers!
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